Date: Sun, 10 Aug 2008 01:25:32 -0700
From: Amethyst Rose
Subject: Pokemon Amethyst: Analia part 6
Disclaimer: All rights for the Pokemon franchise go to Nintendo. This story
is a fan fiction in this franchise universe, categorized under fan fiction.
This story is obviously fiction. It's also PG-13, so... yeah. Probably
won't offend anybody, but err, I guess you never know? Huh.
Analia
Part Six
All Ash could think about was the smell.
Most hospitals were of sterility and fluorescent lights, of medicine and
disinfectant. This was smell of the same vein, but laced with nectar or
flowers, like department store perfume. The leather folding chairs were
uncomfortable. The sound that squealed whenever Dawn fidgeted pecked at Ash
and Brock's ears. Reece, pacing back and forth, seemed too consumed to
care.
A baby blue curtain from down the hall opened and shut letting grim Nurse
Joy out. She folded her hands and hesitated before coming into the waiting
room.
When Reece stopped and Ash, Dawn, and Brock stood up, all was quiet. There
were no frenzied exclamations of "Is he okay?" or "Tell me he'll live."
Nurse Joy was painfully aware of this as she began to speak as though
announcing a verdict.
"He's a unique case. The effects of the disease combined with the Psychic
bond of his pokemon allowed him to be able to express abilities that
normally only pokemon could. If I had known back then what I knew now, I-"
she gave a very helpless look to Reece, who wasn't having any of it."...I'm
sorry."
"Nurse Joy, what's gonna happen?" Dawn whimpered quietly, just barely
causing Nurse Joy to tilt her head in her direction. "Is Analia-"
Brock cut off her question with a hand on her wrist. She turned in his
direction and knowingly closed her mouth.
"I'm afraid there's nothing more we can do. We've healed Gardevoir with
every technique we know, but they're just too far gone." Nurse Joy expected
some kind of extreme or violent reaction. There was none. In fact, Reece
seemed to have given up completely, his rage gone, his sadness gone, his
everything gone. Ash strode to his side and put a hand on his
shoulder. Reece said and did nothing.
Nurse Joy hung her head in shame. "...He doesn't have much time left. If
you wish, I can arrange an escort for him to accompany you with Officer
Jenny."
They all looked to Reece. Reece, face blank, simply nodded.
"Alright. We'll bring him out for you." She was again met with the
silence. As if now deliberately attempting to elicit a reaction, she
reached towards Reece in a comforting motion. "I am so, so sorry-" Reece
slapped her hand away. Knowing her place, Nurse Joy turned and returned to
the rooms in the back.
Officer Jenny appeared some time later with a grim disposition for a grim
day. Arcanine at her feet, she solemnly guided them into her patrol car. An
ambulance followed in suit as they drove to the old boarding school. Yet
when they arrived, something was strange. Ash could swear that every
blossom in the rainbow field was closed. Every petal and every flower slept
in the broad daylight.
They stepped out of the car slowly. Officer Jenny came out last, and as
though in respect, took off her hat. "If there's anything I can do, please
ask." she told Reece. Still, no reply.
The ambulance doors opened. Everyone intently fixed their eyes on two
stretchers, one carried by Nurse Joy and an intern, another by two
Chanseys. Dawn put her hands to her mouth. Brock and Ash could do nothing
but stare. Reece, dumbstruck, fell to his knees. Officer Jenny rushed to
his side, but her words were muted. There was Kai, unconscious and sweetly
serene, and behind him Gardevoir, the same.
They settled them in the far room by the garden. They nestled them in white
beds made of disposable cotton cloth. They said all they could in "sorrys"
and guilty looks. It seemed like forever before they left.
Quiet sadness dominated the daylight. All they could do now was wait.
============
Dawn sat at the dining table. The leftover pancakes from that morning were
cold and hard, neglected. Dawn hid her head in her arms and cried.
She felt an arm around her. She looked up and saw Brock. He said nothing,
but his eyes were reassuring.
"H-h-he... saved my life," whispered Dawn through tears. "I didn't tell him
where I went but he knew anyway, a-and, he saved me."
"Dawn. Nothing I can say will make this better." Dawn pouted more. Brock
continued. "All that I can say is that Kai knew what he was doing. He knew
what it would take to save you, and he did it anyway."
"...Brock?"
"Yeah?"
"Will he forgive me?"
"He will. But it won't make any difference if you don't."
Dawn sniffled. She flashed back to that morning, to Kai's smile. Still
keeping Brock's words in mind, she continued to weep into her folded arms.
============
Ash entered the room, painted with shades of sunset because the screen to
the garden was closed. He stepped with apprehension.
"Ash?" Ash stopped. Kai's eyes, fire red, stood out slightly in the
dark. His voice was weak. "It's ok. You can come in."
Permission gained, Ash quickly ran to Kai's side. He grabbed his hand, only
to find it cold. He could see Kai smile. "Are you okay?" Ash asked.
"Well... I'm almost gone. So no." Kai chuckled, and Ash could help but join
him. Suddenly, losing control, Ash broke. He sniffed and covered his face
to hide the tears, but they were obvious enough. But then he felt Kai's
grip, tighter.
"It's not fair, it's just not fair." Ash said, shaking his head. "I can't
believe it, I-"
"You believe what you see."
"Wh-wha?"
Kai chuckled again. Ash began to think it was a defense mechanism. "You
remember the talk we had, right? Just think about that. You... you are a
great trainer. Continue to believe in life. For me."
"But it's not-" He was cut off by a ragged cough from Kai. By the time he
cleared his throat he was considerably weaker. Ash wiped his face
clean. "...I'll try."
"Good. Now. I wanna ask you one last favor, Ash."
============
In the front of the porch, Reece sat on the stair. Ash joined him.
"Ash, I-" Reece swallowed. He restrained something deep inside of him as he
nearly trembled Ash had never seen him this broken up, for good
reason. "-I'm sorry for the trouble. You're a trainer. You don't have to
stay here."
"No. No, Reece, you're our friend. We're here for you."
Reece opened his mouth to rebuttal. But he was interrupted by the sight of
Gallade in the field of flowers out front. And in his arms... Gardevoir?
Ash stood up to call out to Gallade, but Reece stopped him.
Gardevoir, her hair indigo, opened her eyes. She gazed deeply at Gallade
before floating to her feet. The twilight turned dark purple and red while
dying beams of light reached the earth. In a swift moment that almost
seemed like a dance, Gallade took Gardevoir up in an embrace. Gardevoir
simply leaned her head on his chest, her dress weakly fluttering. And they
stayed like that, only their proximity to comfort them.
"What are they doing?"
"...Saying... their..." Reece had trouble answering, his voice beginning to
falter. Finally, he said it. "They're saying goodbye."
As the twilight grew darker, Ash could see it: Gallade's heart and
Gardevoir's heart glowing in synchronization. Their red lights strobed
gently and slowly, illuminating their faces in the shadow. Ash swallowed at
the beauty of it. He turned to Reece, whose eyes were glued to the
ground. "I think... you need to say goodbye too."
With purpose and realization Reece suddenly stood up. Taking a look at his
Gallade entwined with Gardevoir, he met eyes with Ash. "Thank you. For
everything."
Ash smiled. "Just go. He's been waiting longer than you know."
Perhaps mystified, Reece nodded and entered the house. He passed Dawn and
Brock and went into Kai's room.
Night had fallen now. But through the dark Kai was illuminated, his hair
glowing deep blue, his eyes a gentle crimson of hearts. He tried to sit up
but found himself unable to, succumbing to a horrible cough instead.
This was it. Reece closed the door behind him. He approached Kai until he
loomed over him. Kai looked up and grinned, still lying in bed. "There you
are," he said with effort.
Reece giggled. Not sure what else to do, he kneeled down and grabbed a bit
of Kai's shining indigo hair in his fingertips. "Yeah. Here I am." Reece's
voice was a whisper, and his touch was as well. "...Your hair's so pretty
like this." It sounded like something a child would say; and after all,
Reece almost was a child again. A child combing the garden with his Ralts,
all alone until one moment...
"You're-" Another cough that made Reece flinch. "-you're just being
nice. You know, Reece, you... you were the only one who was nice to me. I
lost faith in people, in my own parents and friends and everyone, but you
helped me when no one else would. I don't deserve you."
By now Reece's hand moved to Kai's head, stroking his hair softly. It were
as if it were made of light itself. Letting go just briefly, Reece
tightened his fists and spoke through clenched teeth. "They're not gonna
get away with it, Kai. Dammit, they'll pay for what they did to you! I'll-"
He was shushed by a sudden hand on his cheek. By all physical means, it was
cold, but to Reece it was the warmest touch he had ever felt. "They don't
matter, Reece. Don't get mad. They, well, just don't understand. Someday,
maybe. Everything... takes... time..." Kai's breaths became more and more
labored.
"Kai!"
"Reece... can we go out please? To the garden?"
"Y-yeah. Yeah, of course." Trembling but still strong, Reece bent over and
scooped Kai up in his arms. Holding him to his chest, he slid the screen
open with his foot.
A giant moon beamed down on the garden, set in an ebony sky. White beams of
pure light bathed the sleeping flowers, drenched the outside world with
silver radiance, made the night glow. And Reece kept on walking. He kept
walking through the blossoms and through the soft light until it seemed
right to stop, until they were surrounded by nothing but petals and faraway
trees as far as the horizon.
That's when Reece stopped. That's when he let go, and that's when he
broke. Pressing Kai's chest to his own he put his head on his shoulder and
wept. He wept for the first time he could remember, letting words slip only
when he could. "No, no, no..." he said. "Please don't leave me... please,
no..."
And for the first time, Kai cried. Reece felt Kai's tears on his cheek, as
salty and warm as his own. He said nothing but clutched Reece's back with
needy fingers.
Reece pried himself away from Kai for a second. Face to face, red eyes to
his own, Reece put a hand on Kai's cheek. And he said it.
"Kai..."
For not being alone anymore, for the light he brought to the garden and
another soul.
For the spirit of friendship, of tenderness, of warmth. Of rainbow blossoms
and a falling star.
For Dawn. For Brock, for Ash. For Gallade. For Gardevoir. For Reece.
"...I love you."
Kai smiled. With a soft whisper he replied, "Thanks. I love you too."
Reece laughed out loud. Tears still trickled down his face, but he leaned
in anyway, kissing him gently on the lips.
When Reece opened his eyes again, the world was light, in weight and
illumination. Kai, one last time, held Reece's hand. One by one, stars
blinked in the sky, tearing through the darkness, beaming upon the both of
them. And then, around his feet, the flowers bloomed again, opening in
bursts of iridescent petals. Reece smiled in bewilderment. Kai grabbed his
hand tighter. Reece looked down at Kai's face. The last of his tears flowed
away. Kai was smiling. He was glowing, literally.
"I'll be with you, Reece, the whole way. Never forget that."
His voice was strong, somehow. They came from the stars, or maybe in his
mind. Reece didn't know anymore. He didn't care. Up above, a shooting star
streaked across the sky. Reece swallowed. Joining Kai in wonderment, he
smiled. The stars above, the flowers below, surrounded by a world of tiny
lights. He loved him. That's what mattered.
No matter what happens. I'll always love you.
============
Four flowers on an elegant gravestone in the garden. Reece spent the
longest time there, but not crying. Only thinking.
"Thank you," Reece told them as they gathered at the front. "You're better
friends than any we've had."
"What will you do now?" Brock asked.
Reece looked behind him. "...There's not much for me here anymore. This
will always be my home, but I'll probably bring Gallade and find my own
path somewhere else."
"I think Kai'd like that." Ash said with a smile.
"Yeah. I think so too." Reece replied. He gave a wide grin. "So, I suppose
you guys'll continue your grand journey."
"That's right. Reece, we'll never forget you or Kai. And maybe we'll see
each other on the road."
"Haha, I'll make sure of it, Ash." Reece turned to Brock. "Good luck."
Brock smiled and nodded in acknowledgment. Then Reece turned to Dawn. "As
for you..."
"Huh?"
Reece turned around and whistled. Gallade emerged from inside. In his arms
he clutched an egg. Dawn gasped. Gallade, a valiant look on his face, knelt
in front of Dawn and presented her with the egg. Dawn looked up at Reece
with confusion. "I don't understand!"
"It'll need a mother. Gallade, Gardevoir and Kai decided that on their
own. And I can't think of anyone else who could do the job better."
"..." Dawn took the egg in her arms. It shook a little, but she held it
tight. With a zeal in her eye, she nodded. "You bet!"
"Great. I know you'll do right, Dawn." With that, Reece sighed. Gallade
went back to his side. "Well, I guess this is it. Good luck."
"You too, Reece."
Brock and Ash with new resolve and Dawn with a new responsibility, the
three walked off with the dawn. Reece shaded his eyes from the sun as he
watched their silhouette disappear. There, in the clear sky; in the garden
and in the sun; Kai would watch over them.
Reece smiled. Exchanging glances, he and Gallade returned inside. This was
only the beginning.
============
"Fun" Fact for Fans!: This sounds really gross, but my shirt smells like
skunk for some reason. My dad was driving me somewhere earlier and we
smelled skunk, maybe that's why. Anyway, I wanna take a shower, but I
decided to finish typing this first for some reason. I am TOTALLY gonna
shower like, right now :D. Mmmm..... shower....
And that's it for Analia! Kai and Reece's turn is over. Look forward to the
beginning of a new chapter, with some new faces and places. It'll be fun,
and not all of them will be as depressing as this one :).
Thanks for reading!
Questions? Comments? Recommendations? Fan Mail? Hate Mail, maybe? Wanna
just chat? Email me at ThePleiadesCall@gmail.com . Love to hear from you!
If you like Pokemon: Amethyst, maybe there's the very vague possibility
you'll like other stories I've submitted:
Charmed Reborn (Celebrity), Final Fantasy Rosa (Celebrity), Teth (Fantasy),
Diana Celes (High School), and Hallow (Fantasy/SciFi).